Former Mexican soldier detained by ICE in California, wanted for Ayotzinapa disappearance
Jun 5, 2026·Location: Hawthorne, CA
Country of origin: Mexico

Enrique Martínez Chávez, a 32-year-old former Mexican military officer, was detained by ICE in Hawthorne, California on June 4, 2026, during an immigration enforcement operation. Martínez Chávez is wanted in Mexico for enforced disappearance in connection with the 2014 disappearance of 43 student teachers from Ayotzinapa, Guerrero. Mexican authorities have an active arrest warrant against him for forced disappearance charges. He is being held at a processing center in Adelanto, California, pending immigration proceedings and potential extradition to Mexico. Mexican President Sheinbaum clarified that he was arrested during a routine ICE immigration enforcement operation rather than a specific operation targeting him for the Ayotzinapa case.
Timeline
Sources
- ICE arrests one of the soldiers linked to Mexico’s Ayotzinapa case in California
english.elpais.com·Jun 5, 2026·archived copy
- El ICE detiene en California a uno de los militares vinculados al ‘caso Ayotzinapa’
elpais.com·Jun 4, 2026·archived copy
- Sheinbaum: exmilitar ligado a caso Ayotzinapa cayó durante redada en EU
eluniversal.com.mx·Jun 5, 2026·archived copy
- Exmilitar ligado al caso Ayotzinapa queda bajo custodia migratoria en California
razon.com.mx·Jun 6, 2026·archived copy
- The Attorney General's Office Will Request the U.S. to Deport a Former Soldier Detained by ICE
- Exmilitar vinculado a Ayotzinapa tiene orden de aprehensión: FGR
milenio.com·Jun 5, 2026·archived copy
- Militar mexicano detenido por ICE estaría vinculado con el caso 43 de Ayotzinapa
vanguardia.com.mx·Jun 4, 2026·archived copy
- Sheinbaum reveals how military officer Enrique Martínez was detained by ICE agents
heraldousa.com·2026-6-5T10:35:00-06:00·archived copy
- CourtListener
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